03/28, 10:47am
iAd network still coming in below expectations
Apple has hired Paul Wright -- formerly chief digital officer for the Omnicom Media Group -- as its new head of iAd operations for Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, writes The Drum. Wright was with OMG for roughly a year. He has also worked for firms such as British broadcast/telecommunications firm BSkyB, where he handled various business development and sales tasks, and at Mobile Interactive Group, where he served on the Advisory Board.
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08/06, 5:06pm
Land Rover claims more engagement with iOS
Apple has posted a new case study, featuring Land Rover, in order to promote its iAd network to advertisers. The business-to-business marketing refers to the case of Range Rover Evoque, for which Land Rover is said to have wanted to "engage an all-new audience." The team at iAd "identified the perfect target and worked with Mindshare and Y&R Group to bring the Land Rover experience to them [the audience] in an innovative way," according to Apple's website. The company is particularly proud of the amount of time people spend with iAd spots.
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07/17, 3:52pm
Firm at work on gesture-based command system for Macs
Andy Miller, the former head of Apple's iAd division, has now taken a job as the president and COO of Leap Motion, Fortune says. Miller actually left Apple last August, becoming a general partner at a firm called Highland Capital Partners. The move to Leap Motion will bring him back into the Mac world, since Leap is currently developing a gesture-based control system for Macs, similar in concept to Microsoft's Kinect technology.
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06/17, 3:38am
Mike Owen headed to video ad network AdColony
Yet another iAd executive has departed Apple. Mike Owen, senior manager of the iAd New York office, is leaving. He is headed to mobile video advertising network AdColony as its chief revenue officer. The iAd service has now seen three key departures in less than a year. Former head Andy Miller left last year for Highland Capital and was replaced by Todd Teresi. Lars Albright, iAd co-creator and former Quattro founder, left to form SessionM, a mobile advertising startup.
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04/30, 6:00pm
Jensen had focused on women, lifestyle projects
A senior Yahoo executive who had been in charge of its Shine site for women's issues, health and lifestyle content has left the company to take a position at Apple's iAd mobile advertising division, AllThingsD is reporting. Jessica Jensen was the public face of Yahoo's efforts to beef up its own content away from sports, finances and celebrity news. Jensen originally came to Yahoo three years ago through her own site LowImpactLiving.com.
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04/04, 6:00pm
Speed tweaks, new iPad support, more
Apple's iAd Producer has been quietly updated to version 2.1, which addresses a number of minor improvements such as support for the latest iPad and faster loading, saving and exporting of projects. The marquee feature, however, is iAd integration with Twitter -- allowing iAd designers to integrate Twitter directly into the ad. Also integrated into v2.1 is the use of WebGL assets in iAd content, and an expansion of types of assets that are allowed.
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04/03, 5:50pm
Samsung AdHub goes to mobile
Samsung decided to take its own leap into mobile advertising on Tuesday with plans for its own mobile ad exchange. The AdHub Market outlined to MarketWatch would let advertisers buy space either from app developers or Samsung itself to put them on apps across the Korean company's platform. The OpenX-powered service would be active in the second half of the year.
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04/02, 9:50am
Company struggling to make iAd relevant
As previously expected, Apple has announced an increase in iAd developer payouts from 60 to 70 percent. The change took effect April 1st, and was signaled by a memo sent to developers over the weekend. The iAd pay ratio is now equivalent to the App Store, where Apple claims a 30 percent cut of revenue.
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02/14, 9:20pm
Share of mobile ad revenue slips to 15 percent
In a sign that softening mobile ad budgets and strong competition from Google and other ad agencies has hurt its high-end intentions, Apple's iAd program has cut the minimum amount it charges advertisers to run a campaign on iAd from its original price of $1 million to just $100,000, and is increasing the percentage of ad revenues developers will receive to 70 percent from the previous 60 percent. The company is also making other competitive adjustments.
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01/26, 3:25pm
Apple co-founder may have been too involved
Apple's iAd network may actually be in a position to improve without Steve Jobs as company CEO, according to a Business Insider source described as "familiar with the situation." The person says that Jobs used to make many of the decisions at iAd, and that as he became sicker, it became increasingly difficult for the iAd team to accomplish anything. With Jobs gone, Eddy Cue is said to be free to properly take charge of iAd, and make decisions on issues like pricing and technology that weren't discussed while Jobs was alive.
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01/19, 8:30pm
Another patent may hint at a quiet acquisition
Apple has been awarded a patent for its implementation of Siri, crediting original Siri inventor Thomas Gruber and others with the technology, which covers both its original format and its current Apple-enhanced incarnation. The company was also granted two patents related to battery technology, including a certification on non-rectangular battery shapes that may herald future devices. There's also a hint that Apple has quietly bought another company.
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01/04, 3:45pm
iAd without leader since August
Apple has managed to poach an Adobe executive, Todd Teresi, to put in charge of its iAd division, Bloomberg reports. Until this week, Teresi was a VP and general manager of media solutions at Adobe. Before that he served as the chief revenue officer for Quantcast, and earlier still, he was a senior VP with Yahoo.
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01/02, 4:20pm
Apple may have ad or publishing event this month
Apple is gearing up for a non-hardware special event at the end of January, insiders divulged Monday. The gathering, in New York City rather the Bay Area, had few details from AllThingsD but would be headed up by Internet Software and Services head Eddy Cue. The only proclaimed certainty from the multiple contacts was that it wouldn't involve the iPad 3.
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12/12, 11:35pm
Apple drops prices, adjusts rules on iAd
Apple is reportedly easing some of its policies around iAd to spark interest and counter Google's mobile ad control. Sources divulged Monday night to the Wall Street Journal that the minimum ad buy was dropping beyond earlier cuts to $400,000, less than half the million-dollar original baseline. Apple was also veering from the original plan, which charged a substantial amount for every ad click, to a believed $10 for every 1,000 views and what's implied is a lower $2 for every click.
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11/08, 7:00pm
Also improvements in editor and animation library
Apple today updated its iAd Producer program to version 2.0, just shy of a year since the program debuted. The new version features a new Object List that shows all objects and elements, a Project Validation function that "automatically checks the size and type of image assets, and that pages and components are configured correctly" before submission to Apple, and new animation tools and page objects as well as code-editing improvements and more.
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09/04, 12:00am
AdMob now limited to mobile apps only
Google made a major policy change for its mobile ad unit AdMob late Friday with plans to take it away from the mobile web. Citing confusion and overlap, it now plans to limit AdMob to native mobile apps on Android, iPhones, iPads, and other phone or tablet platforms. AdSense, its original ad system, would be used for web ads on phones and tablets.
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09/01, 10:35am
'Promotion' from role in charge of iTunes
Eddy Cue has been promoted to the position of Senior VP of Internet Software and Services at Apple, an email memo from CEO Tim Cook reveals. "Eddy will report to me and will serve on Apple’s executive management team," the message elaborates. Cook notes that Cue has been with Apple 22 years, and most recently was the head of Apple's iTunes efforts; he is currently overseeing the iTunes Store, the App Store and the iBookstore, as well as iAd and iCloud.
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08/19, 5:55pm
iOS 5 UDID API goes away, goes app-specific
A new discovery in iOS 5's documentation has raised concerns about the level of access developers will have to device information. Apple now considers the programming interface for the UDID, or unique device identifier, a "deprecated" technology in the new release, documentation forward to TechCrunch showed. Coders could still have unique identifiers, but they had to make their own app-specific IDs.
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08/17, 12:15pm
Company's mobile ads still on shaky ground
(Updated with Highland Capital confirmation) Apple's VP of mobile advertising, Andy Miller, is preparing to depart the company, say sources described as "close to the situation." The executive's staff was reportedly told about the departure today. Miller is tipped to become a general partner at Highland Capital, a venture capital firm based in Boston.
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07/07, 1:55pm
iAd placements rates said to be cut by 70%
Apple is reportedly slashing prices for iAd campaigns, as many advertisers are said to be departing from the platform. Unnamed sources have told Bloomberg the company is cutting its rates by as much as 70 percent in an effort to woo wary advertisers, many of which are said to be gravitating toward alternative platforms offered by companies such as Google.
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06/17, 4:35pm
Multiple parties call technology security risk
Apple will be supporting WebGL in iOS 5, but only for iAd developers, says Apple's Chris Marrin on a WebGL mailing list. The technology is a new rendering standard which allows 3D on websites without loading a plugin. Restricted to iAd, however, it will likely be used mostly for Flash-style advertising, including 2D animated sprites.
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05/25, 3:05pm
AdMob marks a year at Google with new tablet ads
AdMob kicked off its first year at Google with a new dip into tablet ads. Its new HTML5 code is designed both for the larger screens as well as to react to touch gestures. The platform is designed to be cross-platform and handle iPads, Android 3 slates and future platforms like the HP TouchPad.
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05/11, 9:35am
iAd network still on shaky ground?
Apple has put a stop to iAd placements in kids' apps, a developer informs. Mike Zornek -- creator of the Dex Pokèmon browser for iPhones and iPods -- notes that last Thursday, his iAd fill rate dropped to an "awful" 5 percent. The next day the rate fell to zero, persisting through Saturday. This prompted Zornek to email Apple, and also to post a question in Apple's developer forums. On Tuesday he received a response.
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04/06, 3:30pm
Ads Tube rejected for 'lack of functionality'
Apple's newly-released iAd Gallery app may be a copy of an earlier, rejected third-party title, reports say. Several months ago a developer submitted Ads Tube, which like Gallery collects iAds into a single place for easy viewing. The app was denied from the App Store however, based on what Apple explained was a "lack of functionality."
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04/05, 5:05pm
Pushes ads and ad companies
Apple has released iAd Gallery, a free iPhone app it describes as a "celebration of advertising." The app highlights a selection of currently-running iAds, through which people can browse using a wheel interface, or alternately search according to advertiser, category or ad feature. Ads can be "Loved" for later access, and different sections of the app provide more information on the featured advertisers, ad agencies or iAd itself.
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02/23, 11:40am
Likely meant to address network's low fill rates
Apple has slashed the minimum spend needed to get into iAd in half, says All Things Digital. While the company initially set the iAd barrier at $1 million, hoping to attract wealthy, high-profile marketers, it is now said to be requiring only a $500,000 investment. Although still placing the ad network out of range for many firms, the change should increase the number of eligible parties.
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02/10, 3:35pm
Apple salespeople allegedly becoming 'aggressive'
Apple's iAd network is in serious trouble at the moment, a variety of industry sources suggest. Several developers mention that fill rates for iAd fell sharply after the New Year; in particular, two separate developers say that their rates dropped from 18 percent to just 6. In some instances apps are said to be going without any iAds, despite the fact that other mobile ad networks are delivering near-total fill rates. Even some of the more positive cases are said to be showing a slip in rates.
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02/03, 12:00pm
Ad network's first effectiveness report
iAd is a potentially much more effective ad medium than TV, the first effectiveness study of the format suggests. Conducted by Nielsen but funded by Apple and Campbell's, the five-week analysis claims that people who saw one of Campbell's iAds were twice as likely to remember it as they were a TV spot. The Campbell's brand was recalled five times more often by iAd viewers versus people exposed to TV ads, although the actual message from an iAd was remembered just three times more.
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01/28, 10:50am
iAd not bringing in much revenue, says pair
Two USC film students are using the iPhone 4 to create their own TV series, a report says. Michael Koerbel and Anna Elizabeth James are best known for a short called Apple of My Eye, also shot with the iPhone 4, and edited within the mobile iMovie app. The movie gained fame mostly for being one of the first efforts to apply professional filmmaking techniques to the iPhone 4.
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01/25, 5:50pm
Facebook to focus on mobile and buys Rel8tion
Facebook CTO Bret Taylor said at the Inside Social Apps conference that mobile was the "primary focus" of its social network this year. He noted that the phone was the fastest-growing segment and that those who used it were twice as active as those on the desktop. Additions from last year, such as single sign-on, were put in place to make Facebook-aware apps easier, he told Insider Facebook.
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01/25, 7:25am
Next iPad and iPhone would make NFC staple feature
Analyst Richard Doherty of the Envisioneering Group claimed unusual access to Apple today with comments that Apple would add NFC (near field communications) to all its mobile devices. Along with the anticipated iPhone 5, the next iPad would get the short-range wireless technology, hardware engineers for both devices reportedly said. While he didn't explain how it would work in earnest, he told Bloomberg it might be used for an iTunes mobile payment system as soon as mid-2011, in sync with the new iPhone's release.
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01/17, 1:20pm
News Corp to skip iAd for iPad news source
News Corp.'s delayed The Daily publication will have major ads from the start but won't tap into Apple's own iAds if a slip is accurate. Land Rover, Macy's, Pepsi and Virgin are all reportedly signing onboard for the iPad magazine's first ad run. Despite Apple's rumored direct involvement, though, AdAge heard Medialets would handle the ads instead of Apple's iAd system.
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01/12, 4:40pm
Apple TV update supports third-party AirPlay
(Updated with more iOS 4.3 details) Apple has seeded two important iOS updates to developers. One is the first public beta of iOS 4.3, build 8F51448b. Several different downloads are available through the iOS Dev Center, oriented at the different devices. Apple has also published a new beta of the Apple TV firmware, allowing testing of AirPlay in web and/or third-party apps.
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12/20, 5:50pm
Tool available as a free download
Apple has introduced a new developer utility, iAd Producer, that will allow users to create content for the company's advertising platform. The Mac app integrates a visual editor that provides a graphic representation of the ad layout and structure, including the HTML5, CSS3 and JavaScript elements on individual pages.
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12/14, 3:35pm
Only spot for 2010
The first-ever iAd placement on iPads is for Tron Legacy, an Apple spokesman says. The spot, launching today, includes stills, video, a theater locator and a preview of the Daft Punk soundtrack, which people can buy without leaving the ad. The placement is also the first iAd of any kind to allow in-app mail composition.
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11/18, 9:20am
Emphasis still litmited to high-end advertisers
Confirming recent media claims, Apple has announced plans for a European iAd expansion. The network will officially expand to the UK and France and December, with Germany following in January. As in the US, the initial roster of advertisers consists of high-profile corporations. The list so far includes: L’Oréal, Renault, Louis Vuitton, Nespresso, Perrier, Unilever, Citi, Evian, LG Display, AB InBev, Turkish Airlines and Absolute Radio.
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11/15, 10:45am
Network called costly, difficult
The first brand partners for a European expansion of iAd will be announced this week, according to the Financial Times. The company has so far only dipped its marketing toes into Europe via the UK. FT reports, in fact, that Apple has twice delayed the upcoming expansion in recent weeks, and in some instances been prepared to accept prices below a $1 million minimum in order to attract high-profile names.
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11/11, 11:25pm
Apple's rivals helped by iAd efforts
Apple's iAd efforts may be helping the company's rivals in the mobile advertising arena, according to a Wall Street Journal report. Executives from competing companies suggest Apple's entry to the mobile advertising realm has resulted in an overall boost for the entire market, as many marketers began to increase spending across a broader range of channels.
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11/10, 9:15am
'Creative execution' delegated out
Apple has signed a pact with a Japanese marketer, The Dentsu Group, to bring the iAd platform to Japan in early 2011. Under the new arrangement, Dentsu will be responsible for the selling and "creative execution" of iAd spots in Japan. Apple's role will be limited to hosting and delivering ads, as well as targeting them in the first place. Dentsu claims to be the "world's top brand agency," with over 6,000 clients and just under 20,000 workers.
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11/05, 5:30pm
Salespeople targeted in major cities
Following reports of a new Manhattan office for Apple's iAd sales team, the company's job postings have ballooned with a variety of additional positions in other cities. As noted by Business Insider, salespeople are sought in Dallas, Los Angeles, Chicago, San Francisco and London.
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11/05, 9:15am
Comes on verge of first iPad support for iAd
iAd placements are finally beginning to reach an international audience, according to developers. The people note that they are now receiving impressions from viewers around the world, instead of just iAd's original markets. Until this week, the iAd program has been limited to North America and the UK.
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11/04, 12:30pm
Current SoHo offices said to be too small
Apple is setting up a new Manhattan office for its iAd sales team, several sources claim. The space is said to be located near Union Square, and should replace or complement an existing office in SoHo. The latter is actually a former home of Quattro Wireless, which Apple acquired for $275 million in order to found iAd. The SoHo office is believed to be too small, however, never meant to hold more than 30 people.
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11/02, 3:15pm
Group retracts claim of '7-figure settlement'
The settlement in a lawsuit over iAd may have cost Apple $1 million or more, a retracted press release suggests. Roughly a month after the announcement of iAd on April 8th, Apple was sued by Innovate Media, an online ad firm situated near Los Angeles. In a trademark dispute, Innovate claimed that it had used "iAd" since 2006, and won two trademarks for "iAds" in October 2008. The two parties settled outside of court in July of this year.
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10/29, 9:40pm
Google loses AdMob CEO and Google Maps engineer
Google suffered two major staff setbacks today as it confirmed losing two important company leaders. AdMob CEO Omar Hamoui is leaving for "personal reasons," according to the search engine. The departure was characterized as amicable and contributing to the $1 billion in mobile revenue across Android, iOS and other platforms Google serves with ads.
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10/15, 6:10pm
Apple TV ads still unclear
Apple is reportedly preparing to expand its iAd platform to serve ads within video streams on the iPhone, iPod touch and iPad. The advertising platform may also be adapted for compatibility with Apple TV, which also runs a specialized version of iOS, sources have told GigaOM.
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09/27, 11:35am
Independents also gain ground
Apple's iAd should end the year with about 21 percent of the US mobile advertising market, according to an IDC estimate. Google is expected to fall to 21 percent, down from 27 percent in 2009 when including results from AdMob, which the company only formally acquired in May. Yahoo is forecast to drop from 12 to 9 percent, while Microsoft should slide from 10 to 7, and Nokia from 5 to 2.
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09/16, 11:40am
Current state can't last, says exec
Apple "has this obnoxious control" over what ads and content can show on some of its hardware, says Yahoo's Carol Bartz. The CEO criticizes Apple in a new Wall Street Journal interview, taking the company to task for iAd and App Store restrictions which limit many aspects of what can appear on iOS devices. Until recently, companies like Google were officially blocked from mobile advertising, if not in practice.
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08/30, 4:15pm
Real-world patent use could aid plaintiff
Apple and newly-absorbed subsidiary Quattro Wireless are just two of several targets in a new lawsuit from Malaysian company StreetSpace, says AppleInsider. The firm is responsible for the Web Station, a web-browsing kiosk supported in part through targeted advertising. The defendants are accused of violating US Patent 6,847,969, Method and System for Providing Personalized Online Services and Advertisements in Public Spaces.
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08/19, 3:00pm
Move seen as inevitable after acquisition
Apple is reportedly preparing to terminate the mobile ad network run by Quattro Wireless. The move was viewed as inevitable after Apple acquired Quattro to build its iAd platform geared solely for iOS devices such as the iPhone and iPad.
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08/16, 12:20pm
Production taking weeks longer than usual
Apple's insistence on controlling output -- combined with the task of learning the platform -- is severely affecting the rollout of iAd campaigns, according to several ad executives. The Wall Street Journal notes that of 17 official launch partners, only Nissan and Unilever had iAd campaigns for much of July. Since then, only Citigroup, Disney and JC Penney have joined the fray. Others are still in planning.
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